Alan Turing

Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider granting a posthumous pardon to Alan Turing.

Lord McNally: The question of granting a posthumous pardon to Mr Turing was considered by the previous Government in 2009.
	As a result of the previous campaign, the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued an unequivocal posthumous apology to Mr Turing on behalf of the Government, describing his treatment as "horrifying" and "utterly unfair". Mr Brown said the country owed him a huge debt. This apology was also shown at the end of the Channel 4 documentary celebrating Mr Turing's life and achievements which was broadcast on 21 November 2011.
	A posthumous pardon was not considered appropriate as Alan Turing was properly convicted of what at the time was a criminal offence. He would have known that his offence was against the law and that he would be prosecuted.
	It is tragic that Alan Turing was convicted of an offence which now seems both cruel and absurd-particularly poignant given his outstanding contribution to the war effort. However, the law at the time required a prosecution and, as such, long-standing policy has been to accept that such convictions took place and, rather than trying to alter the historical context and to put right what cannot be put right, ensure instead that we never again return to those times.

Environment: Community Growing Spaces

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the commitment in their response to the Making Space for Nature review that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Communities and Local Government would work together to increase the provision of growing spaces for community groups and individuals who want to grow their own food.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Government activity is focused on reducing barriers to people growing their own food. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has funded the development of a meanwhile lease which would help provide access to land on a temporary basis for community groups wanting to grow. Defra has been working with the DCLG to identify groups to road-test the leases and promoting them through rural and farming networks. Defra and the DCLG have also been working with the Federation of City Farms and City Gardens to develop a community land brokerage advisory service. This facilitates agreements between landholders and community groups on releasing land for community growing.

Food: Nutrition

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they issue standards and guidelines regarding the nutritional value of meals served to (1) patients in hospital, (2) prisoners, (3) staff in government departments, (4) schoolchildren, and (5) students eating at colleges of further or higher education.

Earl Howe: The Government have issued guidance and mandatory standards, all of which encourage provision of healthier choices for children and adults in a range of settings. In the case of schools there is specific legislation which requires the provision of healthy, nutritionally balanced food.
	Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF), launched in June 2011, covers nutrition and sustainability aspects of food provision. GBSF is mandatory for central government departments and their agencies, including prisons. The wider public sector, which includes schools and further education colleges, is encouraged to adopt GBSF.
	To support government departments required to meet GBSF the department has published practical guidance to help caterers provide food that meets the nutritional needs of adults working in or in the care of the public sector.
	Within the National Health Service, there are binding standards for good hydration and nutrition as part of a hospital's registration with the regulator. The Care Quality Commission assesses trusts against this requirement and has tough enforcement powers in cases where the proper standards are not being met. NHS organisations are also encouraged to adopt GBSF through the 2011-12 NHS operating framework.
	School food regulations (2007) require primary and secondary schools to meet a combination of food-based and nutrient-based standards and the School Food Trust provides support and advice to schools and the Government on school food issues.

Forests

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what definition of ancient woodland they use; and how many other categories of woodland there are.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The definition of ancient woodland used for the Ancient Woodland Inventory, maintained by Natural England, is "woodland that has been in continuous existence since at least 1600AD".
	The National Forest Inventory, carried out by the Forestry Commission, uses 10 categories of woodland. These are: conifer; broad-leaved; mixed (predominantly conifer); mixed (predominantly broad-leaved); coppice; coppice with standards; shrub; young trees; felled and; ground prepared for planting.

Forests

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to apply biodiversity offsetting policies to ancient woodlands; and what advice they have received about the length of time needed to recreate the habitat provided by ancient woodlands.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Biodiversity offsetting will be piloted in six areas from April 2012. We advise that if participating local authorities decide to go ahead with development on habitats that are very rare, very difficult to recreate or irreplaceable, any compensation should be bespoke, rather than be managed using the offsetting framework. We therefore do not expect the biodiversity offsetting mechanism to be applied to ancient woodlands in the six pilot areas.

Government Departments: Bonuses

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the last five years for which figures are available and according to Civil Service band, how many people were eligible for performance and special bonuses in (1) HM Treasury, and (2) each of its (a) agencies, and (b) non-departmental public bodies; how many people received each type of bonus; what the average payment was for each type of bonus; and what the maximum payment was for each type of bonus.

Lord Sassoon: Bonus payments are an integral part of the reward package for all staff and are made in two circumstances: performance bonuses linked to performance in the previous appraisal year and special bonuses paid to recognise specific contribution to pieces of work during the year.
	It should be noted that bonuses paid in one year reflect performance in the previous year. So, for example, the bonuses paid in 2010-11 would have been in respect of performance in 2009-10.
	The information requested is set out in the tables below.
	
		
			 2006-07 Total No of Staff Eligible (Full Time Equivalent) No of people who received Performance Bonus Payments No of people who received Special Bonus payments Average Payment Performance Bonus Maximum payment Performance Bonus Average Payment- Special Bonus Maximum payment Special Bonus 
			 Range B 152.4 43 39 £582 £900 £258 £500 
			 Range C 140.4 52 37 £780 £1,060 £392 £600 
			 Range D 402.1 122 121 £987 £1,320 £358 £600 
			 Range E 337.1 142 94 £1,568 £3,400 £441 £1,612 
			 SCS1 81.1 54 3 £6,696 £14,600 £267 £300 
			 SCS2 19.5 10 0 £10,010 £14,600 £0 £0 
			 SCS3 2 7 0 £8,546 £14,000 £0 £0 
			 Perm Sec 2 1 0 £12,000 £12,000 £0 £0 
			 Totals 1136.5 431 294 
		
	
	
		
			 2007-08 Total No of Staff Eligible (Full Time Equivalent) No of people who received Performance Bonus Payments No of people who received Special Bonus payments Average Payment Performance Bonus Maximum payment Performance Bonus Average Payment- Special Bonus Maximum payment Special Bonus 
			 Range B 151.7 41 60 £628 £940 £330 £1,200 
			 Range C 158.6 59 77 £833 £1,120 £400 £1,200 
			 Range D 387.3 131 146 £1,019 £2,012 £431 £1,270 
			 Range E 340.3 144 98 £1,714 £5,716 £584 £9,000 
			 SCSI 75.7 60 6 £6,056 £15,000 £1,350 £2,500 
			 SCS2 18.8 13 0 £11,426 £16,150 £0 £0 
			 SCS3 4 6 0 £11,000 £22,000 £0 £0 
			 Perm Sec 2 2 0 £17,000 £18,000 £0 £0 
			 Totals 1138.4 456 387 
		
	
	
		
			 2008-09 Total No of Staff Eligible (Full Time Equivalent) No of people who received Performance Bonus Payments No of people who received Special Bonus payments Average Payment Performance Bonus Maximum payment Performance Bonus Average Payment- Special Bonus Maximum payment Special Bonus 
			 Range B 147.2 38 57 £708 £960 £183 £500 
			 Range C 167.6 60 61 £852 £1,160 £348 £750 
			 Range D 402.8 123 143 £1,019 £1,440 £367 £1,440 
			 Range E 355.4 146 145 £1,748 £3,200 £506 £9,000 
			 SCSI 85.4 54 5 £8,062 £13,000 £1,070 £3,500 
			 SCS2 15.9 11 0 £10,682 £17,000 £0 £0 
			 SCS3 4 3 0 £16,667 £20,000 £0 £0 
			 Perm Sec 2 2 0 £14,500 £17,000 £0 £0 
			 Totals 1180.3 437 411 
		
	
	
		
			 2009-10 Total No of Staff Eligible (Full Time Equivalent) No of people who received Performance Bonus Payments No of people who received Special Bonus payments Average Payment Performance Bonus Maximum payment Performance Bonus Average Payment- Special Bonus Maximum payment Special Bonus 
			 Range B 150.4 101 30 £288 £500 £304 £750 
			 Range C 169.9 152 35 £375 £900 £411 £2,750 
			 Range D 487.2 334 94 £452 £1,200 £346 £1,000 
			 Range E 438.5 346 74 £772 £5,445 £490 £2,750 
			 SCSI 91.6 58 2 £6,604 £10,000 £1,514 £2,777 
			 SCS2 24.9 16 1 £9,630 £12,500 £767 £767 
			 SCS3 6 5 0 £9,500 [15,000 £0 £0 
			 Perm Sec 2 1 0 £15,000 £15,000 £0 £0 
			 Totals 1370.5 1013 236 
		
	
	
		
			 20010-11 Total No of Staff Eligible (Full Time Equivalent) No of people who received Performance Bonus Payments No of people who received Special Bonus payments Average Payment Performance Bonus Maximum payment Performance Bonus Average Payment- Special Bonus Maximum payment Special Bonus 
			 Range B 135.3 25 30 £1,224 £1,500 £377 £750 
			 Range C 163.4 39 54 £1,437 £1,800 £358 £750 
			 Range D 467.3 105 123 £1,661 £1,800 £365 £2,000 
			 Range E 414.4 115 98 £2,687 £3,000 £402 £1,000 
			 SCSI 83 26 3 £8,449 £10,000 £4,250 £10,000 
			 SCS2 24.4 5 0 £12,000 £12,500 £0 £0 
			 SCS3 6 1 0 £15,000 £15,000 £0 £0 
			 Perm Sec 2  0 £0 £0 £0 £0 
			 Totals 1295.8 316 308 
		
	
	APA
	
		
			 2009-10 Total No of Staff Eligible No of people who received Performance Bonus Payments No of people who received Special Average Payment Performance Bonus Maximum payment Performance Bonus Average Payment Special Bonus Maximum payment Special Bonus 
			 £0 0 0 0 £0 £0 £0 £0 
			 HEO/SEO 1 1 0 N/D N/D £0 £0 
			 Grade 6/7 1 1 0 N/D N/D £0 £0 
			 SCS Equivalent 0 0 0 £0 £0 £0 £0 
			 SCS2 4 3 0 £8,667 £11,000 £0 £0 
			 Total 6 5 0 
		
	
	
		
			 2010-11 Total No of Staff Eligible No of people who received Performance Bonus Payments No of people who received Special Bonus Average Payment Performance Bonus Maximum payment Performance Bonus Average Payment Special Bonus Maximum payment Special Bonus 
			 EO 3 3 0 N/D N/D £0 £0 
			 HEO/SEO 4 4 0 N/D N/D £0 £0 
			 Grade 6/7 11 11 0 £6,059 £9,000 £0 £0 
			 SCS Equivalent 10 10 0 £10,267 £12,700 £0 £0 
			 SCS2 5 4 0 £23,750 £25,000 £0 £0 
			 Total 33 32 0 
		
	
	1. The APA was formed in December 2009 and therefore first year when staff were employed who were eligible for bonus was 2009-10.
	2. Average bonus and maximum bonus not disclosed (N/D) where number of staff is less than 5 due to data protection for individuals.
	DMO
	
		
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Special bonuses  
			 Number of staff eligible n/a* n/a* 93 96 100 
			 Number of staff receiving a bonus n/a n/a 31 26 39 
			 Average bonus n/a n/a 283 254 299 
			 Maximum bonus n/a n/a 500 350 1,000 
			 Annual performance related non-consolidated awards  
			 Number of staff eligible 74 74 71 81 86 
			 Number of staff receiving a bonus 69 70 67 72 74 
			 Average bonus 2,604 2,711 3,224 4,397 4,160 
			 Maximum bonus 11,182 11,977 12,760 15,790 16,295 
		
	
	*DMO introduced a special awards scheme during 2008-09.
	DMO staff are not classified by Civil Service band.

Government Departments: Bonuses

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the past five years for which figures are available and according to Civil Service band, how many people were eligible for performance and special bonuses in HM Revenue and Customs; how many people received each type of bonus; what the average payment was for each type of bonus; and what the maximum payment was for each type of bonus.

Lord Sassoon: Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs operates two bonus arrangements:
	performance awards tied to the annual performance for delegated grades (AA-Grade 6) and senior civil servants; and a recognition bonus scheme for delegated grades which recognises exceptional in-year performance. This scheme is not open to members of the SCS.
	
		
			 Non Consolidated Performance Awards paid 2007-08 relating to 2006-07 performance 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant 14,770 8,456 1,423,233 168 488 
			 Assistant Officer 39,511 21,301 4,500,011 211 990 
			 Officer 23,584 14,656 4,764,152 325 741 
			 Higher Officer 11,116 6,893 3,012,582 437 931 
			 Senior Officer 3,883 2,754 1,603,293 582 2,229 
			 Band T 666 156 77,419 496 1,058 
			 Grade 7 2,316 914 829,740 908 1,494 
			 Grade 6 1,083 563 630,643 1,120 8,000 
			 SCS1 285 181 1,327,900 7,336 15,300 
			 SCS1A 70 51 455,600 8,933 15,900 
			 SCS2 79 24 266,100 11,088 19,300 
			 SCS3 8 8 149,600 18,700 45,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Recognition Bonuses paid in 2008-09 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant 14,770 549 95,335 174 1,000 
			 Assistant Officer 39,511 1645 284,964 173 1,000 
			 Officer 23,584 1178 285,877 243 1,000 
			 Higher Officer 11,116 673 220,803 328 1,000 
			 Senior Officer 3,883 310 128,790 415 1,000 
			 Band T 666 8 3,400 425 1,000 
			 Grade 7 2,316 140 66,692 476 1,000 
			 Grade 6 1,083 80 62,945 787 1,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Non Consolidated Performance Awards paid 2008-09 relating to 2007-08 performance 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant 12,838 1,376 462,306 336 460 
			 Assistant Officer 36,899 4,243 1,719,408 405 599 
			 Officer 22,220 4,397 2,398,834 546 1,225 
			 Higher Officer 10,533 2,632 1,813,781 689 1,528 
			 Senior Officer 3,909 1,270 1,085,784 855 1,998 
			 Band T 619 68 45,471 669 1,055 
			 Grade 7 2,391 664 746,723 1,125 2,400 
			 Grade 6 1,156 453 646,643 1,427 2,761 
			 SCS1 272 203 1,602,032 7,892 15,000 
			 SCS1A 70 58 515,920 8,895 15,700 
			 SCS2 34 28 315,425 11,265 19,500 
			 SCS3 9 9 119,113 13,235 15,525 
		
	
	
		
			 Recognition Bonuses paid in 2008-09 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant 12,838 577 104,170 181 1,000 
			 Assistant Officer 36,899 1,796 345,925 193 1,000 
			 Officer 22,220 1,538 385,675 251 1,000 
			 Higher Officer 10,533 860 287,000 334 1,000 
			 Senior Officer 3,909 414 159,900 386 1,000 
			 Band T 619 19 6,075 320 1,000 
			 Grade 7 2,391 202 90,625 449 1,000 
			 Grade 6 1,156 108 65,144 603 1,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Non Consolidated Performance Awards paid 2009-10 relating to 2008-09 performance 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant. 11,132 1,539 575,413 374 762 
			 Assistant Officer 37,613 4,656 2,141,438 460 945 
			 Officer 21,652 4,341 2,723,904 627 1,338 
			 Higher Officer 10,401 2,451 1,944,361 793 2,527 
			 Senior Officer 4,076 1,136 1,116,818 983 1,666 
			 Band T 505 53 41,407 781 1,154 
			 Grade 7 2,547 628 809,267 1,289 2,438 
			 Grade 6 1,212 386 671,839 1,741 7,500 
			 SCS1 277 197 1,402,546 7,120 10,000 
			 SCS1A 62 47 356,231 7,579 11,000 
			 SCS2 37 31 281,500 9,081 12,500 
			 SCS3 5 5 53,250 10,650 15,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Recognition Bonuses paid in 2009-10 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant. 11,132 456 86,815 190 950 
			 Assistant Officer 37,613 1,551 340,245 219 1,000 
			 Officer 21,652 1,213 312,165 257 1,000 
			 Higher Officer 10,401 787 263,390 335 1,000 
			 Senior Officer 4,076 379 165,450 437 1,000 
			 Band T 505 21 8,100 386 1,000 
			 Grade 7 2,547 189 92,000 487 1,000 
			 Grade 6 1,212 120 69,600 580 1,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Non Consolidated Performance Awards paid 2010-11relating to 2009-10 performance 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant 9,776 1,431 463,763 324 475 
			 Assistant Officer 32,549 4,511 1,793,333 398 575 
			 Officer 17,884 3,603 1,953,843 542 676 
			 Higher Officer 9,615 2,175 1,498,085 689 912 
			 Senior Officer 3,752 984 835,801 849 996 
			 Band T 423 55 41,740 759 1,145 
			 Grade 7 2,487 613 690,455 1,126 1,418 
			 Grade 6 1,188 355 504,835 1,422 6,000 
			 SCS1 269 162 993,875 6,135 10,000 
			 SCS1A 55 38 258,500 6,803 14,500 
			 SCS2 32 21 181,700 8,652 16,700 
			 SCS3 8 8 71,321 8,915 15,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Recognition Bonuses paid in 2010-11 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant 9,776 286 50,050 175 750 
			 Assistant Officer 32,549 1,037 195,700 189 1,000 
			 Officer 17,884 822 188,500 229 1,000 
			 Higher Officer 9,615 715 196,310 275 1,100 
			 Senior Officer 3,752 415 145,760 351 1,000 
			 Band T 423 8 3,650 456 1,000 
			 Grade 7 2,487 260 111,610 429 1,000 
			 Grade 6 1,188 108 53,350 494 1,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Non Consolidated Performance Awards paid 2011-12 relating to 2010-11 performance 
			 Grade Numbers Eligible Number Receiving a Bonus Total Bonus paid Average Value Maximum Value 
			 Admin Assistant 8,656 1058 387,742 366 499 
			 Assistant Officer 31,296 3540 1,604,517 453 676 
			 Officer 17,092 2537 1,566,681 618 758 
			 Higher Officer 9,225 1530 1,196,939 782 927 
			 Senior Officer 3,653 679 654,221 964 1,106 
			 Band T 418 43 33,714 784 998 
			 Grade 7 2,518 430 552,787 1,286 1,627 
			 Grade 6 1,161 238 382,254 1,606 1,855 
			 SCS1 260 54 432,000 8,000 8,000 
			 SCS1A 53 20 164,000 8,200 10,000 
			 SCS2 32 9 24,000 2,667 14,000 
			 SCS3 7 2 18,000 9,000 9,000

Government Departments: Consultants

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total expenditure of the Department for Education on external consultants for each of the past three financial years.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Department for Education's expenditure on external consultants for each of the past three financial years was as follows:
	£59.0 million in financial year 2008-09;
	£57.4 million in financial year 2009-10; and
	£19.8 million in financial year 2010-11.

House of Lords: Cross-Bench Peers

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 18 January (WA 133), whether they will now answer the question regarding whether they were aware on 25 October 2011, when Question for Written Answer HL 12784 was tabled, of the identity of the person or persons who authorise the number of Cross-Bench Peers to be appointed by the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Yes. The Government were aware; the delay in answering HL 12784 was due to an administrative oversight.

National Insurance

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 10 January (WA 58), why non-European Union workers are permitted to have a 52-week exclusion from national insurance employer and employee contributions when the cost of the concession is not known.

Lord Sassoon: I refer to the answer of 22 March 2011 (Official Report, col. WA154). The Government agree with the assessment of the Office of Tax Simplification in that exempting certain non-resident individuals who are sent to the UK by their overseas employer from paying and reporting UK national insurance is a simplification for both the individual and the employer. Abolishing it would make the tax system more complex. This is especially true if the individual is in the UK for a very short time.

NHS Commissioning Board

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans there are for the NHS Commissioning Board to publish good-practice guidelines to ensure clinical commissioning groups fulfil their new duty to obtain appropriate advice to aid cancer healthcare commissioning.

Earl Howe: Given the importance of tackling cancer to the health and well-being of the people of England, the NHS Commissioning Board will have a clear responsibility for supporting the commissioning system to meet the needs of cancer patients; this will include supporting commissioners to draw on appropriate advice.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will, subject to Parliament, be established by October 2012. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will, subject to Parliament, be established in April 2013. The NHS Commissioning Board Authority has been set up in order to prepare for the establishment and operation of the NHS Commissioning Board. The authority is not currently undertaking work on specific good practice guidelines, as this would be a matter for the board itself. We would, however, expect the board to publish such guidelines as it thinks necessary to support the improvement of health outcomes, the discharge of its functions, and other objectives set out in the Secretary of State's mandate to the board.
	Sir David Nicholson (chief executive of the NHS Commissioning Board Authority and chief executive-designate of the NHS Commissioning Board) has stated in Developing Clinical Commissioning Groups: Towards Authorisation that "clinical commissioning groups will need the full range of skills and clinical advice from many different professional groups if they are to truly harness the full potential of clinical leadership and stakeholder engagement to design integrated services that provide both the best quality of care and health outcomes, and also maximise the impact of improving population health".
	The NHS Commissioning Board will also host clinical networks which will advise and help commissioners to perform their functions more effectively.

OECD: Standards

The Lord Bishop of Wakefield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to making it a legal requirement for United Kingdom-based businesses that use minerals from conflict-affected areas and high-risk areas to implement the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's due diligence guidance.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) due diligence guidance on conflict minerals is a voluntary set of recommendations for companies and the UK does not intend to make it a legal requirement for UK businesses. The UK believes that a combination of voluntary approaches by businesses and existing legal and regulatory measures provide sufficient incentives to achieve greater transparency in the minerals trade. The UK fully supports the OECD's due diligence guidance and will continue to encourage UK companies to implement it.
	The UK is working with the international community to find practical and sustainable solutions to the issue of conflict minerals. The UK contributed to the development of the OECD's due diligence guidance and has supported and promoted the guidance being piloted in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UK is also providing funding to the OECD for a feasibility study on an institutionalised mechanism to monitor due diligence. In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has developed an online tool to help British companies that may be trading in minerals sourced from conflict-affected areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, or whose products include components that include such minerals, to identify ways to ensure that their activities do not contribute to conflict, and to understand their role in improving oversight and management of the sector. This includes a recommendation that UK companies implement the OECD due diligence guidelines.

Overseas Aid

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much aid in each of the past three years the United Kingdom has given directly and indirectly to each of the other countries in the G20.

Baroness Northover: The Department for International Development (DfID) undertook a bilateral aid review in 2010. This analysed DfID's programme to ensure we focus our aid where it can achieve the best impact. Of the G20 countries DfID has provided aid to within the past three years, South Africa and India are the only countries with a continuing bilateral development programme. South Africa faces substantial development challenges including nearly one in five of the adult population living with HIV. A distinctive British bilateral aid programme focused on HIV and support of private sector development as an engine for growth can make a significant impact. It is important to recognise that despite progress in India, there are many millions of people living on less than $1.25 per day-20 per cent more than in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. The bilateral programme in India is focused on supporting growth in low-income states through private investment to deliver basic services, infrastructure and jobs.
	Following the bilateral aid review, bilateral programmes in China and Russia were closed and a global partnerships programme was established to work with countries like China, Brazil, India, Indonesia and South Africa. The UK is working with these emerging economies as partners in global development to alleviate poverty in the poorest countries. As a result of their growing economic power and increasing influence on global issues such as climate change, global governance reform, trade, energy, and security, collaboration with these emerging economies on key development issues is essential to meeting our development goals.
	Full details of the levels of UK aid to each recipient country can be found in the Statistics on International Development publication at this link: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2011/.

Overseas Aid

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether provision has been made in the next Session of Parliament to bring forward legislation to enshrine in law the commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of the United Kingdom's national income on official development assistance.

Baroness Northover: The coalition Government are committed to enshrining the 0.7 per cent target in law. Legislation to this effect will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.
	The Government's legislative agenda for the Second session of Parliament will be set out in the Queen's Speech.

Overseas Aid

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with other parties about, and what preparations they have made for drafting, legislation which would enshrine in law the commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on official development assistance from 2013.

Baroness Northover: The ministerial team at the Department for International Development have regular discussions with a range of other parties on the issues facing development.
	The coalition Government are committed to enshrining the 0.7 per cent target in law. Legislation to this effect will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.

Overseas Aid

Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 20 December 2011 (WA 369), what discussions have taken place between those commissioning British official aid programmes and multilateral organisations delivering them to ensure compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities, particularly with regard to inclusive education.

Baroness Northover: The UK Government commission aid programmes by supporting multilateral agencies through core funding and also through individual Department for International Development (DfID) country programmes. Our discussions with multilateral organisations on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability are encompassed within our overall dialogue with each relevant organisation. However, with respect to inclusive education, we support all our programmes, both bilateral and multilateral, to develop realistic plans to ensure that all children-including those with disabilities-have access to education. DfID's guidance note on inclusive education was published to support our country programmes to develop inclusive education strategies.
	We work closely with UNICEF on its work to ensure that all children have the opportunity to develop and reach their full potential. Through child education and health initiatives, child-friendly schools and universal primary education programmes, UNICEF aims to give children the opportunity to learn and attend school. We also work closely with the Global Partnership (GPE) for Education at headquarters and country level. GPE has structured guidelines to promote inclusive education in national education plans of country partners.

Parking: Meters

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of using solar photovoltaics to power parking meters.

Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport has carried out no research on solar-powered parking meters. This is primarily a matter for individual local authorities and the wider parking sector, though the department of course encourages innovations that save carbon. Any parking apparatus must comply with existing UK/European Standards.

Railways: Northern Ireland

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek an extension to the derogation on compliance with the First Railway Package applying to Northern Ireland Railways when the existing derogation expires.

Earl Attlee: The Northern Ireland Administration have not requested such an extension to the derogation for Northern Ireland under the First Railways Package, and consequently the Government have made no decision on such an extension.

Taxation

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the tax treatment of carried interest pay received by general partners in private equity management; and whether they will seek to establish whether the current tax treatment reflects the capital risk taken by the general partners.

Lord Sassoon: The Government currently have no plans to review the tax treatment of carried interest pay received by general partners in private equity management, and whether the current tax treatment reflects the capital risk taken by general partners.